Ballast-loading apparatus



BALLAST LOADING APPARATUS.

No. 447,460. Patented Mar. 3. 1891.

llIIlII'lIIllll/I TATES Prion,

ATENT \VILLIAM BUTLER AND ZALMON G. SIMMONS, JR, OF KENOSHA, \VISGONSIN.

BALLAST- LOADING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,460, dated March 3,1891.

Application filed September 22, 1890. $e1ialNo.365.8Z1, (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM BUTLER and ZALMON G. SIMMONS, J r.,citizens of the United States, residing at Kenosha, in the county ofKenosha and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in BallastLoading Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

A well-known method of making ballast for the road-beds of railways isthat of burning clay in the open air, and thus producing a long hill orpile of the burned ballast. This pile is produced by periodicallysupplying to it layers of clay dug from a trench formed by the diggingalong one side of the pile or fire. The manner of proceeding is such asto increase the width of the pile on the side thereof adjacent to thetrench, while at the same time increasing its height. Thus the finishingof the ballast takes place, as it were, from the side of the pileoppositethat adjacent to the trench, and which may be termed the outerside, thereby enabling the burnt product to be taken for use from theouter side of the pile while the burning is being continued at theopposite side. Hitherto the loading of this burned ballast forshipmenthas been performed by hand, requiring the work of a large number of menin transferring it to the means of transportationfrom the outer side ofthe pile, thereby rendering the work expensive and of slow progress.

The object of our invention is to provide an apparatus for effecting ina sense automatically the transfer of ballastfrom the pile to cars fortransporting it, thereby to enable the work to be performed rapidly andat 'comparatively little cost.

Our invention consists in the construction of the apparatus, adapting itto our purpose.

The accompanying drawing is in the nature of a diagram, representing theouter side of a ballast-burning fire and showing our improved apparatusin elevation, partly sectional, as in operative position with relationto the pile.

A is a car on a track 0, extending along the outer or burnt side of thepile B. Between the track r and the pile B is another track q for cars 0to be loaded with ballast from the pile. Inside the car B are supportedwinding-drums p and 0, which may be driven by The carA supports on itsroof a mast struct ure D, from the base of which extends toward the pileB a boom E, which, while it may be rigid, is shown as being pivoted tothe base 7c of the mast and sustained by a cable Z, attached at one endto the outer end of' the boom, extending thence over a pulley Z on theupper end of the mastand fastened at its outer end to the base 7o.

F is a scoop comprisinga bucket i, open at its top and forward and rearends, from the base of the forward of which ends extends a beak h. Thebucket is pivotally supported at one side of its center at 00 in a frameg, which surrounds the body of the bucket, and is provided at or nearits center with a rigid bail f. At its forward end the frame is extendedinto an upwardly-inclined handle e, and at its rear end it is extendedupward into abearing e, at which to pivot a latch (Z, normally engaginga catch (1 on the body of the bucket to secure it in operative positionin the frame. A cable 0 is fastened at one end to the handle 6, andpasses thence over a guide-pulley c on the outer end of the boom and aguide-pulley c on the mast to the drum A cable I) is fastened at one endto the bail f and passes thence over a pulley b on the top of the mastto the drum 0.

By manipulating the levers n to force the brake-shoes 72. away from thewinding-drums the cables may pay out to permit the scoop F to be loweredto or toward the base of the pile B. By then winding up the cable 0 thescoop is dragged in the directiorraway from the car A up the inclinedside of the pile, thereby filling itself with ballast. lVhen so filled,the.

cable 1) is wound on the drum 0 to pull the scoop over the car 0, (thecable a then being allowed to pay out,) when, if necessary, the.

scoop is lowered by causing the cable I) to pay out and the latch (Zreleased from its catch, thereby causing the bucket t' to dump itscontents on the car 0. Thus, as will readily be seen, the loading of theballast is performed rapidly and easily.

Obviously our improved apparatus may be used for loading othersubstances than bal- ICO last-as coal and the like-in piles and we donot desire to be understood as limiting it to the loading of the burntballast.

hat we claim as, new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a loading apparatus substantially for the purpose set forth, a carA on a track 0*, extending along the burnt side of a pile B, a mast D onthe roof of the car, having a boom E extending toward the pile, windingmechanism 011 the car, and a scoop connected with the winding mechanismby a cable 0 to control the scoop to be dragged up the side of the pilein the direction away from the car, and by a cable I) for hoisting thescoop, substantially as described.

2. In a loading apparatus, a car A on a track "1', extended along theburnt side of a pile B, a mast D on the roof of the car, having a boom Eextending toward the pile, a Scoop F, comprising a bucket i, pivot-allysup ported eccentric-ally in a frame g and having a beak hat its forwardend and a catch (6, and a handle 6, bail f, and latch (Z on the frame,windiugdrums o and p on the car, a cable c, connecting the scoop fromthe frame g with the drum 1) and passing over guidepulleys c and c and acable 7), connecting 7 the scoop from its bailfwith the drum 0 andpassing over a guide-pulley Z) on the mast, the whole being constructedand arranged to operate substantially as described.

3. A loadingapparatus comprising, in combination, a car A on a track 0',extended along the burnt side of a pile B, a mast D on the roof of thecar, having a boom E extending from it toward the pile, a scoop F,comprising a bucket 1', pivotally supported eccentrically in a frame 9and having a beak h at its forward end and a catch d, and a handie 6,bail f, and latch (Z 011 the frame, winding-drums 0 and 1) on the ear,spring-controlled levers n, carrying brake-shoes for the drums, a cable0, connecting the scoop from the frame g with the drum 1) and passingover guide-pulleys c and c and a cable 1), connecting the scoop from itsbail f with the drum 0 and passing over a guide-pulley I) on the mast,the whole being constructed and arranged to operate substantially asdescribed.

\VILLIAM BUTLER. ZALMON G. SIMMONS, JR. In presence of- J. W.DYRENFORTHT, M. J Fnos'r.

